“We were blown away by everything it had to offer and could not resist making a fantasy become reality.”
The Couple: Nasr Al-Jafari and Laura Nugent
Length of Engagement: 9 months | Wedding Date: 15th April 2017
Wedding Location: Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi
Photographer: Franck Boutonnet | Videographers: The Loft Studio, Abu Dhabi
We met…
We were set up by a mutual friend and first met on a ‘blind’ date in Manchester – where we are both originally from in the UK. It was love at first sight.
Our proposal…
Nas’ proposal was truly magical, extra special and a massive surprise at the same time. After first surprising me with a Versace dress he knew I liked, he whisked me away for a ‘staycation’ at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Ras Al Khaimah. Nas took my breath away when he proposed on the balcony underneath the stars. I felt like a Princess.
Our wedding theme/colours…
Ivory and pink
My dress…
Main Dress
Sofia Bianca Collection at Ronald Joyce
Second Dress
Victoria Jane Collection at Ronald Joyce
Both from Because I Love You Bridal, United Kingdom
Wedding Shoes – Jimmy Choo
My hair and makeup…
Emily from Esthetic Sense, World Trade Center, Abu Dhabi
His suit…
From Scallywags and Rogues Tailors, Abu Dhabi
Houndstooth trousers and waistcoat, with a Royal Blue Tailed Jacket
What our bridal party wore…
Mother of the Bride in Luis Civit
Bridesmaids in Ralph Lauren pale pink dresses
Our ceremony and/or celebrant…
One of our closest friends conducted the ceremony
We chose our photographer because…
Franck Boutonnet is an award winning photographer from France. Franck was highly recommended after he had previously photographed a friend’s wedding
We chose our wedding coordinator because…
We did not use a wedding planner
We chose our venue because…
Emirates Palace is the ultimate fairy tale wedding venue and it is a truly magical and iconic venue in Abu Dhabi. We both always said how amazing and special it would be to get married there, but never in our wildest dreams did we envisage it actually happening. We were blown away by everything it had to offer and could not resist making a fantasy become reality.
Our menu…
Canapés:
‘One Bite’ Caprese salad with basil pesto and balsamic jelly
Curry cornetto with chicken tikka and pineapple salad
Coconut crusted crispy fried prawns with mango salad
Hot smoked salmon with potato rosti and creme fraiche
Spinach ricotta dumplings with a Mediterranean tomato sauce
Mini Kibbeh and hummus
Starters:
‘Shrimp Cocktail’ Three Ways
Spring vegetable risotto with truffle arancini and herb oil (vegetarian option)
Main:
Black angus beef tenderloin, grain mustard mashed potatoes, wild mushrooms, crispy leeks and pan jus
Sea bream with olive poached tomatoes, olives cured lemon gremolata (vegetarian option)
Dessert:
Selection of desserts (Apple Mille Feuille, Crème Brulee, Caramelised Lemon Tart, Hazelnut Praline Tart, Raspberry-Marbled Cheesecake)
Selection of Cheeses & Seasonal Fresh Fruits. Wedding Cake
Our honeymoon…
We wanted to make our honeymoon extra special and go somewhere neither of us had been before. We chose South Africa and started off with 6 days Safari on two private game reserves – King’s Camp, Timbavati and Leopard Hills Camp, Sabi Sands.
We then ventured around the Wineland region of Cape Town – Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, visiting a number of wine estates which were all spectacular. We followed up with two relaxing days on the coast at Birkenhead House in Hermanus, finishing our final stay in Camps Bay, Cape Town, before flying home to Abu Dhabi.
My favourite part of the wedding day…
The whole day was absolutely amazing; even more special than we had both imagined. Having all our closest family and friends with us to celebrate our once in a lifetime, special day was truly incredible. The best day of our lives so far.
My piece of advice for other brides…
I would definitely recommend investing in a videographer (in addition to a photographer), to capture the full wedding day; something to always treasure and relive the wonderful memories.
Tsian Koussa
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